Jenn Mitchell is a mother and creator of Comeback Momma, a healthy living blog inspiring readers to live happier and healthier lives. After losing over 50 post-baby pounds and rebounding from postpartum depression twice, Jen became a successful blogger and Personal Trainer. When her anxiety and depression returned years later, she struggled to keep the weight off and rebounded 20 pounds. Now, she’s found a healthy balance and is on the right path toward health and happiness and is a true comeback momma! With the help of her blog contributor, Chrissy, a mother, dietician, and triathlete, the Comeback Momma blog is inspiring women to constantly strive to find the best within themselves.
Very informative. I’m just now starting out on my weight loss journey, and have started a weight loss blog of my own. My entire family are overweight and it is a struggle dealing with them as I try to change my habits. Even harder because being around them in an environment where eating bad is easy to get away with makes me fall back. I am finding each time I go back home I end up binging.
The Dukan diet is a ‘phase diet’ similar to Atkins and 17 day diet but it’s main idea is to take care of what you eat rather than the quantity of the food you eat. For this purpose the diet has a long list of foods you are allowed to consume at each stage. It is not an open diet where you choose what to eat (provided that you are within a certain calorie range) but it is a ‘closed diet’ in the sense that you are given a list of the foods to eat. In brief the 4 stages of the Dukan Diet are:
Having support is very important with weight loss. If everyone can get on board, it will be easier to achieve your goals. Talk to your family (or friends, roommates, etc) before starting your diet and let them know your plan. Explain why you are making this decision and ways they can help you succeed. Even if they do not change with you, that's okay! Go forward with your plan! They may decide to join you once they see you succeed with weight loss.
"Order without looking at the menu. Almost every restaurant has the basics—veggies, grains, and protein. If you go in knowing what you want, I guarantee you'll be able to make a meal. If you're too uncomfortable to ask for what you need, tell a white lie: Say you're allergic. I know it's controversial to suggest this, but women in particular can really have trouble standing up for their own needs. So if you want the broccoli soup puréed without cream, tell the waiter you're lactose intolerant."
We’ve now arrived at tip number 16. If you’re still having trouble losing weight, despite following the 15 pieces of advice listed above, it might be a good idea to bring out the heavy artillery: optimal ketosis. Many people stalling at weight plateaus while on a low-carb diet have found optimal ketosis helpful. It’s what can melt the fat off once again.

That’s where these tips come in. We talked with eight women over 40—all of whom have lost 40 or more pounds!—about the tools and methods that helped them make lasting healthy changes. And we've got to admit that they’re pretty darn genius! Try incorporating a few into your weight loss plan, and you just might find yourself on the fast track to getting into those skinny jeans. (Looking for even more slim-down secrets? Don’t miss these 6 things you must do to lose weight over 40.)

Americans are getting less sleep than ever these days and it’s taking a toll on our health—most visibly on our waistlines. Losing just 30 minutes of sleep per night can make you gain weight, according to a study done by the Endocrine Society. Worse, that weight is more likely to go straight to your tummy. Instead, the researchers found, the best sleep cycle is one that follows your natural circadian rhythms, which means sleeping and waking around the same time as the sun. Here are the 7 ways to banish belly bloat in your sleep.

Between his hilarious poetry, inspiring post-it notes, and top ten lists that make Letterman sound unoriginal, reading Jack Sh*T, Gettin' Fit can feel more like your daily dose of comedy than weight-loss advice. Of course you get that too, you're just laughing so hard you don't realize how good it is for you. Check out his post When Harry Met Salad to see what I mean.

Experts typically recommend reducing your daily intake by about 300-500 calories per day below "maintenance level," or the amount you need to stay at your current weight. This decrease in calories converts to about 1/2 pound to a pound of weight loss per week. Although you may feel like you can "do more," slow, steady progress is much healthier—and easier to keep up.
Physical activity helps burn abdominal fat. “One of the biggest benefits of exercise is that you get a lot of bang for your buck on body composition,” Stewart says. Exercise seems to work off belly fat in particular because it reduces circulating levels of insulin—which would otherwise signal the body to hang on to fat—and causes the liver to use up fatty acids, especially those nearby visceral fat deposits, he says.

Thanks so much for this. I was getting very despondent! I’ve been Ketogenic for 2 weeks and actually PUT ON 2 lbs! I have Hashimotos (autoimmune hypothyroidism) and adrenal exhaustion and haven’t been well for about 15 years. On top of that, I’m presently recovering from a nasty car crash 3 months ago (broken wrist and lots of deep inflammation in tissues of legs and feet).

Besides being the preferred fuel for the brain and heart, we have recently recognized that BOHB also functions like a hormone that signals multiple changes in gene expression (aka ‘epi-genetic effects’). Among other effects, BOHB turns on the body’s innate defenses against oxidative stress and inflammation (Schimazu 2013, Youm 2014), and it also acts to reduce insulin resistance at its source (Newman 2014). This new information has the potential to be nothing short of revolutionary! From this perspective, the liver can make a ‘hormone’ from fat that protects us from oxidative stress, inflammation, diabetes, and probably Alzheimer’s disease and aging as well (Roberts, 2017). All we need do to accrue these benefits is restrict carbs to allow the keto-adaptation process to occur. But to date, none of these beneficial epigenetic effects seem to include pathways that might make body fat melt away.
About: Kristen is a 42-year-old woman who a few years back decided she was going to lose weight — and she was going to do so by running and blogging about it. She lost 50 pounds, and along the way discovered that far from hating running like she assumed she would, she actually loved it...and hiking, and yoga, and much, much more. Her blog posts are full of inspiration, simple tips and tricks for making healthier choices, healthy recipes, fitness and personal musings.
About Blog After years of yoyo dieting, Julie Obiamiwe decided in 2014 to lose the weight for good and maintain a stable weight from then on out. By 2015 with her shape beginning to change but progress a bit slow on the scales, she decided to set up a weight loss journal to make herself accountable and in June 2016. The YoYo Chronicles came into existence. Follow her journey as she faces down various challenges including a sedentary job as a legal aid solicitor, peri-menopause, menopause to name a few.

About: Rachael’s got a unique combination of expertise. She’s an avid fitness lover, a health fanatic and a registered nurse. She also has to combat strange work hours to keep up her active lifestyle and exercise regimen, which is exactly why we picked her. When you’re among those who are trying to lose weight but have a hectic schedule, Rachael’s the blogger to turn to for advice. She knows how to fight obstacles like sleep deprivation, food cravings, boredom hunger and (of course) being “too busy” to get healthy.

Hey Adam, recently I lost my husband in since I lost him i find myself getting bigger and bigger I need to know what I can do to lose at least a 150 pds.im 5’5 and im concern if I dont lose the weight that my grand baby won;t have a grandmother for long because im getting heavy and dont know why,I don’t eat much but I seem to keep putting on weight and when I look at my self in the mirror I get depressed.Im even woundering if the dr atkins works will you please email me back or responed
It’s important to never skip meals, as this slows metabolism and causes the body to store more fat. Eat foods with lots of minerals, including calcium, magnesium, copper and zinc. Also, get plenty of Vitamins B and C. Take Essential Fatty Acid supplements, or eat foods rich in omega 3 and omega 6. Eating these foods and getting some exercise will help to burn belly fat and increase metabolism.

Of course, you want to get to the bottom of why you’re not feeling so hot. One study found that practicing relaxation techniques helped obese women who were emotional eaters lose weight over the course of three months, along with helping them reduce depression and anxiety. (7) Engaging in other activities that can help you relax are a better option than emotional eating.

About: Two years ago, January hit rock bottom. She came to the realization that she was a food addict. A few days (and a whole lot of cookie dough) later, January joined Overeaters Anonymous and turned to God to overcome her gluttony and addiction, blogging about it to hold herself accountable. Today, January’s a champion for God and using faith to shed unwanted pounds.
Another frontrunner on the U.S. News and World Report 2016 list (it came in at number two in the weight loss category), the HMR Weight Management program is used in over 200 medical facilities around the U.S. Dieters embark on two phases, the first centered around HMR's products (meals, shakes, snacks) and the second transitioning towards a sustainable plan emphasizing fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains.

A recent increase in exercise using kettle bells has also increased my weight and I have heard about this before so wasn’t concerned but I am still increasing weight so thought I’d better look at what I’m eating as well. (By the way kettle bells are amazing for your core). Looking at Adam’s lists, I was horrified to see cereal had so much sugar – even the bran and fruit kind and with milk this doesn’t appear to be the good start to the day I had thought. So it’s fruit tomorrow!

Out-of-whack hormones have all kinds of uncomfortable side effects and belly bloat is one of them. There’s a reason that bloating is one of the primary complaints women have during menopause! While you can’t turn back the clock and reclaim the hormone profile of your 20’s, you can make sure you’re within the normal range—something your doctor can check for you. In the meantime, eating right and exercising are natural ways to balance your hormones.
Get a rowing workout in one of two ways. You can row an actual boat across actual water. Alternately, use a specialized rowing machine on dry land. According to Bruce Lee in "The Art of Expressing the Human Body," one key to rowing and similar exercises is maintaining a constant rhythm. This provides a better calorie burn than alternating between bursts of speed and slow patches.

Any weight loss that occurs because of these programs is almost always connected to a dramatic reduction in calories, not magical properties of the program itself. However, sudden and dramatic dietary changes can cause losses in muscle mass and general fatigue, as well as more serious complications such as disrupted gut bacteria, deficiencies in vital micronutrients, and even organ damage.[12]

Since insulin sensitivity is at its highest in the first two weeks of the menstrual cycle, and carb intake is free to be at its highest, exercise can be more aerobic (long, moderate heart-rate-elevating cardio exercises). It is at this time that you can do your best high performance cardio training. Here you can challenge yourself with longer-term exercises that may be more “stressful” for your body, like long bike rides, tabata sprints, night-long dance sessions, and the like. It is at this time in your cycle that your body can handle the most aerobic stress.
Hey Adam, recently I lost my husband in since I lost him i find myself getting bigger and bigger I need to know what I can do to lose at least a 150 pds.im 5’5 and im concern if I dont lose the weight that my grand baby won;t have a grandmother for long because im getting heavy and dont know why,I don’t eat much but I seem to keep putting on weight and when I look at my self in the mirror I get depressed.Im even woundering if the dr atkins works will you please email me back or responed
About: Kristen is a 42-year-old woman who a few years back decided she was going to lose weight — and she was going to do so by running and blogging about it. She lost 50 pounds, and along the way discovered that far from hating running like she assumed she would, she actually loved it...and hiking, and yoga, and much, much more. Her blog posts are full of inspiration, simple tips and tricks for making healthier choices, healthy recipes, fitness and personal musings.
“Don’t bring home foods you don’t want to snack on. If others in the house like treats, buy ones you dislike to avoid temptation. And keep your healthier foods—including veggies and high-protein snacks—front and center in the pantry, fridge, and freezer. When it came to losing 100 pounds, this is one of the things that helped me the most.” —Jamie Gold, 56, certified kitchen designer and author of New Bathroom Idea Book
Nutritional ketosis induced by carbohydrate restriction is often associated with major weight loss, which raises some important questions. Do ketones cause weight loss? Do ketones promote a metabolic condition whereby fat melts away to a greater extent than a non-ketogenic diet of equal energy content? Alternatively, can a person maintain or even gain weight while in nutritional ketosis? To explore the answers to these questions, we need to venture into the complex inter-relationships between keto-adaptation, appetite, energy balance and weight loss.

Some of you are probably scratching your heads thinking “why is exercise at the bottom?” well it’s because it is not nearly as important as what you put in your mouth! Exercise is great for burning off a few calories (emphasis on a few), for toning up your body and overall health, but no matter how hard you work out, if you don’t have the diet aspect down you won’t be losing the weight as fast as you want… or at all. But it is still an important part of how to lose weight fast, and here’s why:

Want to lose that belly fat? In your dreams! Seriously, though: a good night’s sleep is one of the best ways to get rid of that extra fat around your waist for good. Among the 60,000 women participating in the Nurses’ Health Study, those who snoozed for fewer than five hours a night were at the greatest risk of becoming obese and gaining 30 or more pounds over the course of the 16-year study period when compared to those who slept for seven or more hours.
Research shows your body also unleashes human growth hormone, which helps you burn fat and maintain muscle, after just 10 to 30 seconds of high-intensity exercise. High-intensity exercise also appears to help curb your appetite and trigger hormones that regulate feelings of hunger and fullness better than lower-intensity exercise, so you’re less likely to overeat.
Of carbs and protein, that is. Carbs certainly aren’t the enemy; you can totally enjoy carbs and still lose weight. The trick is to choose something complex (like brown rice, quinoa, or whole grain bread) or something refined (like white rice, white pasta, and white bread), and pair it with a protein. So if you’re having crackers for a snack, make sure you also eat some almonds or a stick of string cheese. “I always incorporate a protein and carbohydrate at every meal,” Jim White, RD, ACSM Health, and owner of Jim White Fitness & Nutrition Studios told us. “It can curb your appetite and it slows down the glycemic index of some of your higher sugar foods.”
Tempting as that post-workout shower may be, making time to hold a static stretch at the end of your workout can increase your muscle mass by as much as 13 per cent, according to US research. How? It has much the same effect on your muscles as resistance training, a study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology found. Both cause micro tears that prompt the manufacture of muscle fibres. Stretch yourself swole.
About: Sometimes, it’s okay to take a helping hand when it comes to weight loss. That’s exactly what the author of Banded Carolina Girl did. In 2012, she had lap band surgery and dropped from a size 30 to a size 12 and saw her BMI drop from 62 to 32. Two years later, she started a blog to talk about “the good, the bad and everything in between.” On her blog, you’ll find quick-hit posts offering inspiration and encouragement to not just lose weight, but also to learn how to love and accept yourself.
Spoon Guru nutritionist Isabel Butler (MSc, ANutr) recommends that “the best way to reduce weight and maintain the weight loss is by simply eating a balanced and healthy diet, without refusing yourself particular foods… If you do cut out foods, you need to make sure your diet is still balanced and you are getting the nutrients your body needs from other sources.”

About Blog After years of yoyo dieting, Julie Obiamiwe decided in 2014 to lose the weight for good and maintain a stable weight from then on out. By 2015 with her shape beginning to change but progress a bit slow on the scales, she decided to set up a weight loss journal to make herself accountable and in June 2016. The YoYo Chronicles came into existence. Follow her journey as she faces down various challenges including a sedentary job as a legal aid solicitor, peri-menopause, menopause to name a few.

Stopping eating after dinner is an easy way to easily cut back on mindless munching and extra calories, and can help boost weight loss, White says. One way to prevent that post-dinner grazing is to brush your teeth almost immediately after your last meal of the day. The minty flavor in your mouth will make all your favorite foods taste gross anyway, and you won’t want to go back and brush your teeth all over again.

Weight Watchers is a household name for the majority of Americans. Why? Because it works. In fact, the U.S News and World Report named this the best weight-loss diet for 2016 in their annual rankings — and with good reason. The balanced program lets you eat what you want, track your choices via a points system, and build a weight loss support network with fellow Weight Watchers' members.

One easy trick if you're a pasta fan is to swap out white pasta for the wonderfully named courgetti (spaghetti made from spiralizing courgette). You’ll hardly notice the difference when you’re eating it, but you’ll be fuller for longer despite consuming fewer calories. When you consume fewer calories, your body can go to your fat reserves for energy, rather than just burning off the food you’ve eaten.

One easy trick if you're a pasta fan is to swap out white pasta for the wonderfully named courgetti (spaghetti made from spiralizing courgette). You’ll hardly notice the difference when you’re eating it, but you’ll be fuller for longer despite consuming fewer calories. When you consume fewer calories, your body can go to your fat reserves for energy, rather than just burning off the food you’ve eaten.
I have been at a plateau for 4-6 months now. I’ve been Keto for over 2 years and have decrease weight and bodyfat, but I can’t seem to shake the remainder of the weight. I test my ketone levels several times per week and am usually at .4 to .9 mml. I’m probably eating too many calories from fat (cheese and fatty meats) but I can’t seem to get satiated if I eat less. I’d like to get to around 15% bodyfat. I started at 32% as measured by a dexa scan a couple of years ago and dropped to 26% a few months ago.
People who get enough sleep tend to weigh less than those who don't. Additionally, researchers found that well-rested dieters lost more fat than those who were sleep deprived, who lost more muscle. "Whenever I don't sleep enough, I'm ravenous the next day," says Weil. To keep her hunger in check and help her maintain her slim figure, she tries to get at least 8 hours of sleep every night.
About: Bailey is a grad student studying to get her degree to become a registered dietitian. As she goes, she’s working to establish herself as a go-to source for people online to learn how to create SMART goals, learn about food traps, get fitness tips and more – and it’s totally working. Bailey intermixes her professional posts with a bit of her own musings, making for a very personalized experience that combines getting to know the author with getting to know yourself, and how to achieve your goals.
5. Start with one small change. "I realized that a lot of sugar and calories that I consumed came from drinks, so I challenged myself to drink only water—no sugary drinks!—for 30 days. After just one successful week, I decided to add another challenge: to cut back on the carbs I was eating. When I did eat bread, I switched to wheat bread and when I wanted rice, I used brown rice."
#2 – Count your calories, at least for the first week or two. You’d be amazed in what you think is healthy and is not. I was drinking a skinny vanilla latte and a reduced fat cinnamon swirl coffee cake for breakfast every day, and that was over 500 calories. Not smart, not to mention I was hungry a short while after breakfast, which brings me to #3.
About: Tiffany’s blogging officially started in 2009, but it was kind of an off-and-on thing until 2013. Then, Tiffany really amped up her blogging efforts, much to the thrill of her followers. Tiffany’s blog is packed with healthy recipes, weight loss challenges and tips on how to find happiness — all from a girl who is extraordinarily relatable and “loves cheesy dance workout videos, dark chocolate, watching movies, with her husband, and riding my beach cruiser around the neighborhood like a kid.” Enough said.
Thank you. It’s easy to click through your blog looking at your gorgeous home, your perfect children and your beautiful skinny self. This is a wonderful reminder that we are all human! I have also lost 100 pounds and still have a way to go…. it was refreshing to be reminded not to take for granted that you know what struggles someone else has faced.

The trick here is not only to avoid all obvious sources of carbohydrate (sweets, bread, spaghetti, rice, potatoes), but also to be careful with your protein intake. If you eat large amounts of meat, eggs and the like, the excess protein will be converted into glucose in your body. Large amounts of protein can also raise your insulin levels somewhat. This compromises optimal ketosis.

Do you mindlessly sprinkle salt on your food without even tasting it first? Stop it! Seriously. Extra sodium can lead to water weight gain and bloating, which will make your pants fit tighter (and the number on the scale tick up). Be sure to read your labels, too; sodium is typically lurking in in processed foods, even “healthy” ones like frozen dinners and canned soups.
IBS, or irritable bowel syndrome, is the most common gastrointestinal disorder. IBS symptoms include nausea, diarrhea, constipation, stomach pain, and bloating—So. Much. Bloating. While the causes aren’t all known, it’s thought to be linked to lifestyle factors like diet, exercise, hormones, and stress. Sufferers often find that making changes in these areas eliminates or reduces their IBS (and their stomach circumference!). Here’s how these 10 myths about fat can keep you from losing weight.

Teenage or adolescence is a crucial phase of our life. It is at this age that several hormonal changes take place within our body. It is also the growth phase and hence, special attention is required for the overall fitness of the body and mind. Unfortunately, lack of physical activity and consuming excessive junk food has pushed numerous teenagers into the obesity whirlpool. Being overweight affects their self-confidence and they often take to skipping meals or following fad diets to the point of starvation to attain their desired weight. But the results are usually not as good as expected and many teenagers end up with eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia, which deprives their bodies of vital nutrients.

In the past few months I gaind A LOT of weight (30lbs) and I’m freaking out!!! I tried to lose it, but I either fail or just give up. All my house eats is carbs and I’m not aloud to diet so I have to eat them 🙁 this is because my family doesn’t think I nedd to lose weight but I know that its better if I do. This weight gain stresses me out!! I’ve gotten so deppressed and my self esteem dropped a thousand feet because of it. Can you pleae help me……all I want is a nice fit body and to be able to fit into my cloths again. Email me some advise please? :'(

Between his hilarious poetry, inspiring post-it notes, and top ten lists that make Letterman sound unoriginal, reading Jack Sh*T, Gettin' Fit can feel more like your daily dose of comedy than weight-loss advice. Of course you get that too, you're just laughing so hard you don't realize how good it is for you. Check out his post When Harry Met Salad to see what I mean.

Refined white breads are simple carbohydrates that your body processes as sugar, and can really hinder your weight-loss efforts. Whole grain bread, on the other hand, is chock-full of slimming fiber and can help you feel fuller, longer. Just be sure to read your labels. “If the ingredients at the top of the ingredient list read sugar, sucrose, fructose, corn syrup, white or wheat flour, these foods contain mostly simple carbs and should be limited,” Rebecca Lewis, RD, told us. “A food is only considered a whole grain if the first ingredient on the packaging says, ‘whole grain’ or ‘whole wheat.’”

About: Shannon’s a fit girl, but her mission in life is to get even fitter — and motivate others to join her along the way. She’s also a full-time marketing executive, but her true passion is bringing together and inspiring them to reach their goals. You’ll find her posts are full of positivity, motivation, practical tips for exercising (without killing yourself) and even fun fashion bits. If the sun was shining through a blog, it would be shining through Shannon’s.
Rowing is an aggressive exercise that can burn enough calories to help you burn fat. However, the best workout available only works if you can do it regularly. Rowing requires specialized equipment, meaning you can only row when you have access to the right facilities. Also, the calories you burn while rowing will only mean burning fat if you resist the temptation to eat more food to make up for the burn. As with any workout plan, rowing will burn fat best if you couple it with a dedicated program of weight loss diet and lifestyle choices.Andie is a healthy recipe developer and New York Times best-selling author. She shares some of her most delectable food ideas on her blog. She’ll tell you right up front: She believes in balancing health and happiness. And it was through that balance that she lost 135 pounds — a journey that can also be found in her memoir, “It Was Me All Along.” Visit the blog.